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15thOctober, 2014

Barbara Steele and Surrey FirstCandidate for Surrey City CouncilSurrey, BC

Subject: Light Rail and Rapid Transit as an election issue

Dear Barbara,

I would like to congratulate you on the hard work youve performed preparing to run an electioncampaign. The responsibility that you will be given to shape the future of this city, should you beelected, will be enormous.

You may be familiar with me for my work in raising transportation issues in this city, whichincluded the successful advocacy for a Surrey bus stop on the route #555 Port Mann Express. Aswe enter the election period and start to focus on city issues, I am working to raise a majortransportation issue that desperately needs to be discussed now.

You are hopefully aware that the Mayors' Council's transportation vision approved a Light RailTransit (LRT) rapid transit system in Surrey, as has been specified in the city's vision. This is not aproposal that will give a net benefit to Surrey citizens, and it brings with it problems that have notbeen discussed with stakeholders.

It's alarming that a recent City of Surrey survey - mentioned a few times during TV news reportsand Council minutes - reported a 90% support rate for Surrey's LRT proposal from stakeholders.Coming from a city that wants its stakeholders (residents) to support LRT and has probably onlyever told stakeholders things that will make them want to support LRT, I find this to be a tragedy.How do we know that the surveyed were even told the truth and the entire truth about the LightRail proposal? The details of the survey itself - and its effect on the city's policy - have never been

revealed for public viewing.

Ive beenraising the issue of a faulty Light Rail proposalfor the past several years. In fact,TransLink should have completed the work for me when their Surrey Rapid Transit Study found anegative business case for the popular LRT proposal. The persistence of LRT as Surrey's vision hasalarmed me as a long-time Guildford resident, in the path of the proposal.

http://skytrainforsurrey.org/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/2014/07/14/press-release-rapid-transit-vision-report-exposes-faults-of-surrey-lrt-proposal/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/2014/07/14/press-release-rapid-transit-vision-report-exposes-faults-of-surrey-lrt-proposal/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/2014/07/14/press-release-rapid-transit-vision-report-exposes-faults-of-surrey-lrt-proposal/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/2014/07/14/press-release-rapid-transit-vision-report-exposes-faults-of-surrey-lrt-proposal/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/

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When outgoing Mayor Watts declared Light Rail over SkyTrain 3 years ago, she accompanied thisannouncement with a video of the proposal featuring the 104th Ave corridor which hid from usthat the Light Rail wouldnt actually make transit on that corridor faster. It will, in fact, reduce

options for Guildford/104 Ave riders by cutting non-stop express bus services and forcinginbound riders to transfer to a system that wont save them any time.

Absolutely no one has raised these issues, nor has anyone made any mention of the devastatingimpacts that Guildford-area residents will face for several years during the lines construction, asthe closure of 104 Aves two centre lanes will disrupt 96 B-Line services and triple travel times toSurrey City Centre.

Issues like this, especially those specific to the way the city is building LRT, havenot been raised.One major potential issue is that, unlike many LRT systems, the entirety of the Surreys proposed

system will be built in the centre of streets. The lines will pass through some of the citys mostdangerous intersections and theres a serious issue of service reliability and safety that hasntbeen raised. Of the hundreds of accidents each year at these intersections, each one of them standsto become a service disruption on the citys LRT network if the tracks are in any way blocked anissue not faced by B-Lines and rapid buses, which can detour around accidents, or SkyTrain.

In my discussions with city staff, I was given excuses that I still feel were poorly thought about and

hastily thrown at me in an attempt to mislead me into silence about the proposal. While manystudies have pointed to the fact that attracting transit-oriented development has more to do withmarket conditions and government support than type of transit technology (bus or rail), city staffand Council remain mislead into believing that shaping the kind of growth thats wanted in

Surrey is only doable with rail. This is simply not true and to the contrary, there are manysuccessful, multi-modal developments in Metro Vancouver that did not grow within closeproximity of our SkyTrain lines. Rapid buses can be an important part of the Surrey rapid transitvision, especially as they can be more flexible than Light Rail.

The problem with the single-minded, pro-Light Rail mentality that has existed in City Council andstaff for the past 3 years is that shortfalls and their details are skewered or even hidden from

stakeholders. In the promotion of shaping communities, the city has downplayed theconsideration of other benefits and aspects especially travel times and modal shift from car totransit.

The $2.44 billion Light Rail vision eats both significant capital funds, as well as significantoperating funds every year while generating less ridership and fare revenue than visions that

http://skytrainforsurrey.org/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/lrt-reality/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/lrt-reality/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/lrt-reality/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/lrt-reality/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/

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involve a SkyTrain extension. This hurts the entire city, because it starves our city-wide bussystem from receiving the funds it will need to expand in frequency and extent. To put it shortly, ifwe dont stop this Light Rail vision, it might just stop us from receiving any more transit

improvements.

A few months ago, I finished work on what I consider to be the centrepiece of my campaign: arapid transit vision. As a token of my confidence in the success of this vision should it be laid out, Igave it the titleVibrant communities, productive citizens,and what it does is it combines anexpansion of SkyTrain a popular, effective and successful transit choice with investments inenhanced bus rapid transit, to service Surrey in the most responsibly built, effective way. It leavesroom for further transit improvements beyond rapid transit and even helps generate the fundingto do so with the best business case, the best ridership, the best revenue, and the most benefitsfor Surrey residents.

This SkyTrain vision is a better buy than Light Rail. It lays the foundation to significantly increasetransit use and curb expensive roadway expansion in the South-of-Fraser, as has been done verysuccessfully in the North-of-Fraser. I had the citys transportation and infrastructure committeereview this vision last month, but I have yet to receive a reply with their comments.

I need your help to not just promote this vision, but to raise important issues in the current Light

Rail proposal

especially those that havent been raised. Every new voice on Council will count for

our communities. You heard the Mayors despite a faulty business case and issues in theproposal, LRT in Surrey has been approved as part of the regional transportation vision. We needto act now, more than ever, to prevent the occurrence of this planning disaster.

Thanks for your attention.

Sincerely,

Daryl Dela CruzCampaign Manager Better Surrey Rapid TransitCampaign website:skytrainforsurrey.orgMore info:LRT RealityOur Vision

http://skytrainforsurrey.org/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/vision/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/vision/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/vision/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/lrt-reality/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/lrt-reality/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/lrt-reality/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/vision/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/vision/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/vision/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/lrt-reality/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/vision/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/

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15thOctober, 2014

Barinder Rasode and the One Surrey Electors AssociationCandidate for Mayor of City of SurreySurrey, BC

Subject: Light Rail and Rapid Transit as an election issue

Dear Barinder,

I would like to congratulate you on the hard work youve performed preparing to run a Mayoralcampaign. The responsibility that you will be given to shape the future of this city, should you beelected, will be enormous.

You may be familiar with me for my work in raising transportation issues in this city, whichincluded the successful advocacy for a Surrey bus stop on the route #555 Port Mann Express. Aswe enter the election period and start to focus on city issues, I am working to raise a majortransportation issue that desperately needs to be discussed now.

You are hopefully aware that the Mayors' Council's transportation vision approved a Light RailTransit (LRT) rapid transit system in Surrey, as has been specified in the city's vision. This is not aproposal that will give a net benefit to Surrey citizens, and it brings with it problems that have notbeen discussed with stakeholders.

It's alarming that a recent City of Surrey survey - mentioned a few times during TV news reportsand Council minutes - reported a 90% support rate for Surrey's LRT proposal from stakeholders.Coming from a city that wants its stakeholders (residents) to support LRT and has probably onlyever told stakeholders things that will make them want to support LRT, I find this to be a tragedy.How do we know that the surveyed were even told the truth and the entire truth about the LightRail proposal? The details of the survey itself - and its effect on the city's policy - have never been

revealed for public viewing.

Ive beenraising the issue of a faulty Light Rail proposalfor the past several years. In fact,TransLink should have completed the work for me when their Surrey Rapid Transit Study found anegative business case for the popular LRT proposal. The persistence of LRT as Surrey's vision hasalarmed me as a long-time Guildford resident, in the path of the proposal.

http://skytrainforsurrey.org/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/2014/07/14/press-release-rapid-transit-vision-report-exposes-faults-of-surrey-lrt-proposal/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/2014/07/14/press-release-rapid-transit-vision-report-exposes-faults-of-surrey-lrt-proposal/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/2014/07/14/press-release-rapid-transit-vision-report-exposes-faults-of-surrey-lrt-proposal/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/2014/07/14/press-release-rapid-transit-vision-report-exposes-faults-of-surrey-lrt-proposal/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/

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When outgoing Mayor Watts declared Light Rail over SkyTrain 3 years ago, she accompanied thisannouncement with a video of the proposal featuring the 104th Ave corridor which hid from usthat the Light Rail wouldnt actually make transit on that corridor faster. It will, in fact, reduce

options for Guildford/104 Ave riders by cutting non-stop express bus services and forcinginbound riders to transfer to a system that wont save them any time.

Absolutely no one has raised these issues, nor has anyone made any mention of the devastatingimpacts that Guildford-area residents will face for several years during the lines construction, asthe closure of 104 Aves two centre lanes will disrupt 96 B-Line services and triple travel times toSurrey City Centre.

Issues like this, especially those specific to the way the city is building LRT, havenot been raised.One major potential issue is that, unlike many LRT systems, the entirety of the Surreys proposed

system will be built in the centre of streets. The lines will pass through some of the citys mostdangerous intersections and theres a serious issue of service reliability and safety that hasntbeen raised. Of the hundreds of accidents each year at these intersections, each one of them standsto become a service disruption on the citys LRT network if the tracks are in any way blocked anissue not faced by B-Lines and rapid buses, which can detour around accidents, or SkyTrain.

In my discussions with city staff, I was given excuses that I still feel were poorly thought about and

hastily thrown at me in an attempt to mislead me into silence about the proposal. While manystudies have pointed to the fact that attracting transit-oriented development has more to do withmarket conditions and government support than type of transit technology (bus or rail), city staffand Council remain mislead into believing that shaping the kind of growth thats wanted in

Surrey is only doable with rail. This is simply not true and to the contrary, there are manysuccessful, multi-modal developments in Metro Vancouver that did not grow within closeproximity of our SkyTrain lines. Rapid buses can be an important part of the Surrey rapid transitvision, especially as they can be more flexible than Light Rail.

The problem with the single-minded, pro-Light Rail mentality that has existed in City Council andstaff for the past 3 years is that shortfalls and their details are skewered or even hidden from

stakeholders. In the promotion of shaping communities, the city has downplayedtheconsideration of other benefits and aspects especially travel times and modal shift from car totransit.

The $2.44 billion Light Rail vision eats both significant capital funds, as well as significantoperating funds every year while generating less ridership and fare revenue than visions that

http://skytrainforsurrey.org/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/lrt-reality/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/lrt-reality/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/lrt-reality/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/lrt-reality/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/

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involve a SkyTrain extension. This hurts the entire city, because it starves our city-wide bussystem from receiving the funds it will need to expand in frequency and extent. To put it shortly, ifwe dont stop this Light Rail vision, it might just stop us from receiving any more transitimprovements.

A few months ago, I finished work on what I consider to be the centrepiece of my campaign: arapid transit vision. As a token of my confidence in the success of this vision should it be laid out, Igave it the titleVibrant communities, productive citizens,and what it does is it combines anexpansion of SkyTrain a popular, effective and successful transit choice with investments inenhanced bus rapid transit, to service Surrey in the most responsibly built, effective way. It leavesroom for further transit improvements beyond rapid transit and even helps generate the fundingto do so with the best business case, the best ridership, the best revenue, and the most benefitsfor Surrey residents.

This SkyTrain vision is a better buy than Light Rail. It lays the foundation to significantly increasetransit use and curb expensive roadway expansion in the South-of-Fraser, as has been done verysuccessfully in the North-of-Fraser. I had the citys transportation and infrastructure committeereview this vision last month, but I have yet to receive a reply with their comments.

I need your help to not just promote this vision, but to raise important issues in the current Light

Rail proposal

especially those that havent been raised. Every new voice on Council will count for

our communities. You heard the Mayors despite a faulty business case and issues in theproposal, LRT in Surrey has been approved as part of the regional transportation vision. We needto act now, more than ever, to prevent the occurrence of this planning disaster.

Thanks for your attention.

Sincerely,

Daryl Dela CruzCampaign Manager Better Surrey Rapid TransitCampaign website:skytrainforsurrey.orgMore info:LRT RealityOur Vision

http://skytrainforsurrey.org/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/vision/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/vision/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/vision/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/lrt-reality/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/lrt-reality/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/lrt-reality/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/vision/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/vision/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/vision/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/lrt-reality/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/vision/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/

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15thOctober, 2014

Beau Simpson and the Safe Surrey CoalitionCandidate for Surrey City CouncilSurrey, BC

Subject: Light Rail and Rapid Transit as an election issue

Dear Beau,

I would like to congratulate you on the hard work youve performed preparing to run an electioncampaign. The responsibility that you will be given to shape the future of this city, should you beelected, will be enormous.

You may be familiar with me for my work in raising transportation issues in this city, whichincluded the successful advocacy for a Surrey bus stop on the route #555 Port Mann Express. Aswe enter the election period and start to focus on city issues, I am working to raise a majortransportation issue that desperately needs to be discussed now.

You are hopefully aware that the Mayors' Council's transportation vision approved a Light RailTransit (LRT) rapid transit system in Surrey, as has been specified in the city's vision. This is not aproposal that will give a net benefit to Surrey citizens, and it brings with it problems that have notbeen discussed with stakeholders.

It's alarming that a recent City of Surrey survey - mentioned a few times during TV news reportsand Council minutes - reported a 90% support rate for Surrey's LRT proposal from stakeholders.Coming from a city that wants its stakeholders (residents) to support LRT and has probably onlyever told stakeholders things that will make them want to support LRT, I find this to be a tragedy.How do we know that the surveyed were even told the truth and the entire truth about the LightRail proposal? The details of the survey itself - and its effect on the city's policy - have never been

revealed for public viewing.

Ive beenraising the issue of a faulty Light Rail proposalfor the past several years. In fact,TransLink should have completed the work for me when their Surrey Rapid Transit Study found anegative business case for the popular LRT proposal. The persistence of LRT as Surrey's vision hasalarmed me as a long-time Guildford resident, in the path of the proposal.

http://skytrainforsurrey.org/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/2014/07/14/press-release-rapid-transit-vision-report-exposes-faults-of-surrey-lrt-proposal/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/2014/07/14/press-release-rapid-transit-vision-report-exposes-faults-of-surrey-lrt-proposal/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/2014/07/14/press-release-rapid-transit-vision-report-exposes-faults-of-surrey-lrt-proposal/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/2014/07/14/press-release-rapid-transit-vision-report-exposes-faults-of-surrey-lrt-proposal/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/

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When outgoing Mayor Watts declared Light Rail over SkyTrain 3 years ago, she accompanied thisannouncement with a video of the proposal featuring the 104th Ave corridor which hid from usthat the Light Rail wouldnt actually make transit on that corridor faster. It will, in fact, reduce

options for Guildford/104 Ave riders by cutting non-stop express bus services and forcinginbound riders to transfer to a system that wont save them any time.

Absolutely no one has raised these issues, nor has anyone made any mention of the devastatingimpacts that Guildford-area residents will face for several years during the lines construction, asthe closure of 104 Aves two centre lanes will disrupt 96 B-Line services and triple travel times toSurrey City Centre.

Issues like this, especially those specific to the way the city is building LRT, havenot been raised.One major potential issue is that, unlike many LRT systems, the entirety of the Surreys proposed

system will be built in the centre of streets. The lines will pass through some of the citys most

dangerous intersections and theres a serious issue of service reliability and safety that hasntbeen raised. Of the hundreds of accidents each year at these intersections, each one of them standsto become a service disruption on the citys LRT network if the tracks are in any way blocked anissue not faced by B-Lines and rapid buses, which can detour around accidents, or SkyTrain.

In my discussions with city staff, I was given excuses that I still feel were poorly thought about and

hastily thrown at me in an attempt to mislead me into silence about the proposal. While manystudies have pointed to the fact that attracting transit-oriented development has more to do withmarket conditions and government support than type of transit technology (bus or rail), city staffand Council remain mislead into believing that shaping the kind of growth thats wanted in

Surrey is only doable with rail. This is simply not true and to the contrary, there are manysuccessful, multi-modal developments in Metro Vancouver that did not grow within closeproximity of our SkyTrain lines. Rapid buses can be an important part of the Surrey rapid transitvision, especially as they can be more flexible than Light Rail.

The problem with the single-minded, pro-Light Rail mentality that has existed in City Council andstaff for the past 3 years is that shortfalls and their details are skewered or even hidden from

stakeholders. In the promotion of shaping communities, the city has downplayed theconsideration of other benefits and aspects especially travel times and modal shift from car totransit.

The $2.44 billion Light Rail vision eats both significant capital funds, as well as significantoperating funds every year while generating less ridership and fare revenue than visions that

http://skytrainforsurrey.org/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/lrt-reality/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/lrt-reality/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/lrt-reality/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/lrt-reality/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/

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involve a SkyTrain extension. This hurts the entire city, because it starves our city-wide bussystem from receiving the funds it will need to expand in frequency and extent. To put it shortly, ifwe dont stop this Light Rail vision, it might just stop us from receiving any more transitimprovements.

A few months ago, I finished work on what I consider to be the centrepiece of my campaign: arapid transit vision. As a token of my confidence in the success of this vision should it be laid out, Igave it the titleVibrant communities, productive citizens,and what it does is it combines anexpansion of SkyTrain a popular, effective and successful transit choice with investments inenhanced bus rapid transit, to service Surrey in the most responsibly built, effective way. It leavesroom for further transit improvements beyond rapid transit and even helps generate the fundingto do so with the best business case, the best ridership, the best revenue, and the most benefitsfor Surrey residents.

This SkyTrain vision is a better buy than Light Rail. It lays the foundation to significantly increasetransit use and curb expensive roadway expansion in the South-of-Fraser, as has been done verysuccessfully in the North-of-Fraser. I had the citys transportation and infrastructure committeereview this vision last month, but I have yet to receive a reply with their comments.

I need your help to not just promote this vision, but to raise important issues in the current Light

Rail proposal

especially those that havent been raised. Every new voice on Council will count for

our communities. You heard the Mayors despite a faulty business case and issues in theproposal, LRT in Surrey has been approved as part of the regional transportation vision. We needto act now, more than ever, to prevent the occurrence of this planning disaster.

Thanks for your attention.

Sincerely,

Daryl Dela CruzCampaign Manager Better Surrey Rapid TransitCampaign website:skytrainforsurrey.orgMore info:LRT RealityOur Vision

http://skytrainforsurrey.org/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/vision/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/vision/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/vision/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/lrt-reality/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/lrt-reality/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/lrt-reality/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/vision/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/vision/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/vision/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/lrt-reality/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/vision/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/

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15thOctober, 2014

Brenda Locke and Team SurreyCandidate for Surrey City CouncilSurrey, BC

Subject: Light Rail and Rapid Transit as an election issue

Dear Brenda,

I would like to congratulate you on the hard work youve performed preparing to run an electioncampaign. The responsibility that you will be given to shape the future of this city, should you beelected, will be enormous.

You may be familiar with me for my work in raising transportation issues in this city, whichincluded the successful advocacy for a Surrey bus stop on the route #555 Port Mann Express. Aswe enter the election period and start to focus on city issues, I am working to raise a majortransportation issue that desperately needs to be discussed now.

You are hopefully aware that the Mayors' Council's transportation vision approved a Light RailTransit (LRT) rapid transit system in Surrey, as has been specified in the city's vision. This is not aproposal that will give a net benefit to Surrey citizens, and it brings with it problems that have notbeen discussed with stakeholders.

It's alarming that a recent City of Surrey survey - mentioned a few times during TV news reportsand Council minutes - reported a 90% support rate for Surrey's LRT proposal from stakeholders.Coming from a city that wants its stakeholders (residents) to support LRT and has probably onlyever told stakeholders things that will make them want to support LRT, I find this to be a tragedy.How do we know that the surveyed were even told the truth and the entire truth about the LightRail proposal? The details of the survey itself - and its effect on the city's policy - have never been

revealed for public viewing.

Ive beenraising the issue of a faulty Light Rail proposalfor the past several years. In fact,TransLink should have completed the work for me when their Surrey Rapid Transit Study found anegative business case for the popular LRT proposal. The persistence of LRT as Surrey's vision hasalarmed me as a long-time Guildford resident, in the path of the proposal.

http://skytrainforsurrey.org/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/2014/07/14/press-release-rapid-transit-vision-report-exposes-faults-of-surrey-lrt-proposal/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/2014/07/14/press-release-rapid-transit-vision-report-exposes-faults-of-surrey-lrt-proposal/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/2014/07/14/press-release-rapid-transit-vision-report-exposes-faults-of-surrey-lrt-proposal/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/2014/07/14/press-release-rapid-transit-vision-report-exposes-faults-of-surrey-lrt-proposal/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/

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When outgoing Mayor Watts declared Light Rail over SkyTrain 3 years ago, she accompanied thisannouncement with a video of the proposal featuring the 104th Ave corridor which hid from usthat the Light Rail wouldnt actually make transit on that corridor faster. It will, in fact, reduceoptions for Guildford/104 Ave riders by cutting non-stop express bus services and forcinginbound riders to transfer to a system that wont save them any time.

Absolutely no one has raised these issues, nor has anyone made any mention of the devastatingimpacts that Guildford-area residents will face for several years during the lines construction, asthe closure of 104 Aves two centre lanes will disrupt 96 B-Line services and triple travel times toSurrey City Centre.

Issues like this, especially those specific to the way the city is building LRT, havenot been raised.One major potential issue is that, unlike many LRT systems, the entirety of the Surreys proposedsystem will be built in the centre of streets. The lines will pass through some of the citys most

dangerous intersections and theres a serious issue of service reliability and safety that hasntbeen raised. Of the hundreds of accidents each year at these intersections, each one of them standsto become a service disruption on the citys LRT network if the tracks are in any way blocked anissue not faced by B-Lines and rapid buses, which can detour around accidents, or SkyTrain.

In my discussions with city staff, I was given excuses that I still feel were poorly thought about and

hastily thrown at me in an attempt to mislead me into silence about the proposal. While manystudies have pointed to the fact that attracting transit-oriented development has more to do withmarket conditions and government support than type of transit technology (bus or rail), city staffand Council remain mislead into believing that shaping the kind of growth thats wanted inSurrey is only doable with rail. This is simply not true and to the contrary, there are manysuccessful, multi-modal developments in Metro Vancouver that did not grow within closeproximity of our SkyTrain lines. Rapid buses can be an important part of the Surrey rapid transitvision, especially as they can be more flexible than Light Rail.

The problem with the single-minded, pro-Light Rail mentality that has existed in City Council andstaff for the past 3 years is that shortfalls and their details are skewered or even hidden from

stakeholders. In the promotion of shaping communities, the city has downplayed theconsideration of other benefits and aspects especially travel times and modal shift from car totransit.

The $2.44 billion Light Rail vision eats both significant capital funds, as well as significantoperating funds every year while generating less ridership and fare revenue than visions that

http://skytrainforsurrey.org/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/lrt-reality/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/lrt-reality/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/lrt-reality/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/lrt-reality/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/

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involve a SkyTrain extension. This hurts the entire city, because it starves our city-wide bussystem from receiving the funds it will need to expand in frequency and extent. To put it shortly, ifwe dont stop this Light Rail vision, it might just stop us from receiving any more transit

improvements.

A few months ago, I finished work on what I consider to be the centrepiece of my campaign: arapid transit vision. As a token of my confidence in the success of this vision should it be laid out, Igave it the titleVibrant communities, productive citizens,and what it does is it combines anexpansion of SkyTrain a popular, effective and successful transit choice with investments inenhanced bus rapid transit, to service Surrey in the most responsibly built, effective way. It leavesroom for further transit improvements beyond rapid transit and even helps generate the fundingto do so with the best business case, the best ridership, the best revenue, and the most benefitsfor Surrey residents.

This SkyTrain vision is a better buy than Light Rail. It lays the foundation to significantly increasetransit use and curb expensive roadway expansion in the South-of-Fraser, as has been done verysuccessfully in the North-of-Fraser. I had the citys transportation and infrastructure committeereview this vision last month, but I have yet to receive a reply with their comments.

I need your help to not just promote this vision, but to raise important issues in the current Light

Rail proposal

especially those that havent been raised. Every new voice on Council will count for

our communities. You heard the Mayors despite a faulty business case and issues in theproposal, LRT in Surrey has been approved as part of the regional transportation vision. We needto act now, more than ever, to prevent the occurrence of this planning disaster.

Thanks for your attention.

Sincerely,

Daryl Dela CruzCampaign Manager Better Surrey Rapid TransitCampaign website:skytrainforsurrey.orgMore info:LRT RealityOur Vision

http://skytrainforsurrey.org/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/vision/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/vision/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/vision/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/lrt-reality/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/lrt-reality/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/lrt-reality/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/vision/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/vision/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/vision/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/lrt-reality/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/vision/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/

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15thOctober, 2014

Brian Young and One Surrey Electors AssociationCandidate for Surrey City CouncilSurrey, BC

Subject: Light Rail and Rapid Transit as an election issue

Dear Brian,

I would like to congratulate you on the hard work youve performed preparing to run an electioncampaign. The responsibility that you will be given to shape the future of this city, should you beelected, will be enormous.

You may be familiar with me for my work in raising transportation issues in this city, whichincluded the successful advocacy for a Surrey bus stop on the route #555 Port Mann Express. Aswe enter the election period and start to focus on city issues, I am working to raise a majortransportation issue that desperately needs to be discussed now.

You are hopefully aware that the Mayors' Council's transportation vision approved a Light RailTransit (LRT) rapid transit system in Surrey, as has been specified in the city's vision. This is not aproposal that will give a net benefit to Surrey citizens, and it brings with it problems that have notbeen discussed with stakeholders.

It's alarming that a recent City of Surrey survey - mentioned a few times during TV news reportsand Council minutes - reported a 90% support rate for Surrey's LRT proposal from stakeholders.Coming from a city that wants its stakeholders (residents) to support LRT and has probably onlyever told stakeholders things that will make them want to support LRT, I find this to be a tragedy.How do we know that the surveyed were even told the truth and the entire truth about the LightRail proposal? The details of the survey itself - and its effect on the city's policy - have never been

revealed for public viewing.

Ive beenraising the issue of a faulty Light Rail proposalfor the past several years. In fact,TransLink should have completed the work for me when their Surrey Rapid Transit Study found anegative business case for the popular LRT proposal. The persistence of LRT as Surrey's vision hasalarmed me as a long-time Guildford resident, in the path of the proposal.

http://skytrainforsurrey.org/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/2014/07/14/press-release-rapid-transit-vision-report-exposes-faults-of-surrey-lrt-proposal/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/2014/07/14/press-release-rapid-transit-vision-report-exposes-faults-of-surrey-lrt-proposal/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/2014/07/14/press-release-rapid-transit-vision-report-exposes-faults-of-surrey-lrt-proposal/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/2014/07/14/press-release-rapid-transit-vision-report-exposes-faults-of-surrey-lrt-proposal/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/

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When outgoing Mayor Watts declared Light Rail over SkyTrain 3 years ago, she accompanied thisannouncement with a video of the proposal featuring the 104th Ave corridor which hid from usthat the Light Rail wouldnt actually make transit on that corridorfaster. It will, in fact, reduceoptions for Guildford/104 Ave riders by cutting non-stop express bus services and forcinginbound riders to transfer to a system that wont save them any time.

Absolutely no one has raised these issues, nor has anyone made any mention of the devastatingimpacts that Guildford-area residents will face for several years during the lines construction, asthe closure of 104 Aves two centre lanes will disrupt 96 B-Line services and triple travel times toSurrey City Centre.

Issues like this, especially those specific to the way the city is building LRT, havenot been raised.One major potential issue is that, unlike many LRT systems, the entirety of the Surreys proposedsystem will be built in the centre of streets. The lines will pass through some of the citys most

dangerous intersections and theres a serious issue of service reliability and safety that hasntbeen raised. Of the hundreds of accidents each year at these intersections, each one of them standsto become a service disruption on the citys LRT network if the tracks are in any way blocked anissue not faced by B-Lines and rapid buses, which can detour around accidents, or SkyTrain.

In my discussions with city staff, I was given excuses that I still feel were poorly thought about and

hastily thrown at me in an attempt to mislead me into silence about the proposal. While manystudies have pointed to the fact that attracting transit-oriented development has more to do withmarket conditions and government support than type of transit technology (bus or rail), city staffand Council remain mislead into believing that shaping the kind of growth thats wanted in

Surrey is only doable with rail. This is simply not true and to the contrary, there are manysuccessful, multi-modal developments in Metro Vancouver that did not grow within closeproximity of our SkyTrain lines. Rapid buses can be an important part of the Surrey rapid transitvision, especially as they can be more flexible than Light Rail.

The problem with the single-minded, pro-Light Rail mentality that has existed in City Council andstaff for the past 3 years is that shortfalls and their details are skewered or even hidden from

stakeholders. In the promotion of shaping communities, the city has downplayed theconsideration of other benefits and aspects especially travel times and modal shift from car totransit.

The $2.44 billion Light Rail vision eats both significant capital funds, as well as significantoperating funds every year while generating less ridership and fare revenue than visions that

http://skytrainforsurrey.org/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/lrt-reality/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/lrt-reality/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/lrt-reality/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/lrt-reality/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/

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involve a SkyTrain extension. This hurts the entire city, because it starves our city-wide bussystem from receiving the funds it will need to expand in frequency and extent. To put it shortly, ifwe dont stop this Light Rail vision, it might just stop us from receiving any more transit

improvements.

A few months ago, I finished work on what I consider to be the centrepiece of my campaign: arapid transit vision. As a token of my confidence in the success of this vision should it be laid out, Igave it the titleVibrant communities, productive citizens,and what it does is it combines anexpansion of SkyTrain a popular, effective and successful transit choice with investments inenhanced bus rapid transit, to service Surrey in the most responsibly built, effective way. It leavesroom for further transit improvements beyond rapid transit and even helps generate the fundingto do so with the best business case, the best ridership, the best revenue, and the most benefitsfor Surrey residents.

This SkyTrain vision is a better buy than Light Rail. It lays the foundation to significantly increasetransit use and curb expensive roadway expansion in the South-of-Fraser, as has been done verysuccessfully in the North-of-Fraser. I had the citys transportation and infrastructure committeereview this vision last month, but I have yet to receive a reply with their comments.

I need your help to not just promote this vision, but to raise important issues in the current Light

Rail proposal

especially thosethat havent been raised. Every new voice on Council will count for

our communities. You heard the Mayors despite a faulty business case and issues in theproposal, LRT in Surrey has been approved as part of the regional transportation vision. We needto act now, more than ever, to prevent the occurrence of this planning disaster.

Thanks for your attention.

Sincerely,

Daryl Dela CruzCampaign Manager Better Surrey Rapid TransitCampaign website:skytrainforsurrey.orgMore info:LRT RealityOur Vision

http://skytrainforsurrey.org/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/vision/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/vision/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/vision/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/lrt-reality/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/lrt-reality/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/lrt-reality/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/vision/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/vision/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/vision/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/lrt-reality/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/vision/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/

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15thOctober, 2014

Bruce Hayne and Surrey FirstCandidate for Surrey City CouncilSurrey, BC

Subject: Light Rail and Rapid Transit as an election issue

Dear Bruce,

I would like to congratulate you on the hard work youve performed preparing to run an electioncampaign. The responsibility that you will be given to shape the future of this city, should you beelected, will be enormous.

You may be familiar with me for my work in raising transportation issues in this city, whichincluded the successful advocacy for a Surrey bus stop on the route #555 Port Mann Express. Aswe enter the election period and start to focus on city issues, I am working to raise a majortransportation issue that desperately needs to be discussed now.

You are hopefully aware that the Mayors' Council's transportation vision approved a Light RailTransit (LRT) rapid transit system in Surrey, as has been specified in the city's vision. This is not aproposal that will give a net benefit to Surrey citizens, and it brings with it problems that have notbeen discussed with stakeholders.

It's alarming that a recent City of Surrey survey - mentioned a few times during TV news reportsand Council minutes - reported a 90% support rate for Surrey's LRT proposal from stakeholders.Coming from a city that wants its stakeholders (residents) to support LRT and has probably onlyever told stakeholders things that will make them want to support LRT, I find this to be a tragedy.How do we know that the surveyed were even told the truth and the entire truth about the LightRail proposal? The details of the survey itself - and its effect on the city's policy - have never been

revealed for public viewing.

Ive beenraising the issue of a faulty Light Rail proposalfor the past several years. In fact,TransLink should have completed the work for me when their Surrey Rapid Transit Study found anegative business case for the popular LRT proposal. The persistence of LRT as Surrey's vision hasalarmed me as a long-time Guildford resident, in the path of the proposal.

http://skytrainforsurrey.org/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/2014/07/14/press-release-rapid-transit-vision-report-exposes-faults-of-surrey-lrt-proposal/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/2014/07/14/press-release-rapid-transit-vision-report-exposes-faults-of-surrey-lrt-proposal/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/2014/07/14/press-release-rapid-transit-vision-report-exposes-faults-of-surrey-lrt-proposal/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/2014/07/14/press-release-rapid-transit-vision-report-exposes-faults-of-surrey-lrt-proposal/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/

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When outgoing Mayor Watts declared Light Rail over SkyTrain 3 years ago, she accompanied thisannouncement with a video of the proposal featuring the 104th Ave corridor which hid from usthat the Light Rail wouldnt actually make transit on that corridor faster. It will, in fact, reduce

options for Guildford/104 Ave riders by cutting non-stop express bus services and forcinginbound riders to transfer to a system that wont save them any time.

Absolutely no one has raised these issues, nor has anyone made any mention of the devastatingimpacts that Guildford-area residents will face for several years during the lines construction, asthe closure of 104 Aves two centre lanes will disrupt 96 B-Line services and triple travel times toSurrey City Centre.

Issues like this, especially those specific to the way the city is building LRT, havenot been raised.One major potential issue is that, unlike many LRT systems, the entirety of the Surreys proposed

system will be built in the centre of streets. The lines will pass through some of the citys mostdangerous intersections and theres a serious issue of service reliability and safety that hasntbeen raised. Of the hundreds of accidents each year at these intersections, each one of them standsto become a service disruption on the citys LRT network if the tracks are in any way blocked anissue not faced by B-Lines and rapid buses, which can detour around accidents, or SkyTrain.

In my discussions with city staff, I was given excuses that I still feel were poorly thought about and

hastily thrown at me in an attempt to mislead me into silence about the proposal. While manystudies have pointed to the fact that attracting transit-oriented development has more to do withmarket conditions and government support than type of transit technology (bus or rail), city staffand Council remain mislead into believing that shaping the kind of growth thats wanted in

Surrey is only doable with rail. This is simply not true and to the contrary, there are manysuccessful, multi-modal developments in Metro Vancouver that did not grow within closeproximity of our SkyTrain lines. Rapid buses can be an important part of the Surrey rapid transitvision, especially as they can be more flexible than Light Rail.

The problem with the single-minded, pro-Light Rail mentality that has existed in City Council andstaff for the past 3 years is that shortfalls and their details are skewered or even hidden from

stakeholders. In the promotion of shaping communities, the city has downplayed theconsideration of other benefits and aspects especially travel times and modal shift from car totransit.

The $2.44 billion Light Rail vision eats both significant capital funds, as well as significantoperating funds every year while generating less ridership and fare revenue than visions that

http://skytrainforsurrey.org/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/lrt-reality/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/lrt-reality/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/lrt-reality/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/lrt-reality/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/

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involve a SkyTrain extension. This hurts the entire city, because it starves our city-wide bussystem from receiving the funds it will need to expand in frequency and extent. To put it shortly, ifwe dont stop this Light Rail vision, it might just stop us from receiving any more transit

improvements.

A few months ago, I finished work on what I consider to be the centrepiece of my campaign: arapid transit vision. As a token of my confidence in the success of this vision should it be laid out, Igave it the titleVibrant communities, productive citizens,and what it does is it combines anexpansion of SkyTrain a popular, effective and successful transit choice with investments inenhanced bus rapid transit, to service Surrey in the most responsibly built, effective way. It leavesroom for further transit improvements beyond rapid transit and even helps generate the fundingto do so with the best business case, the best ridership, the best revenue, and the most benefitsfor Surrey residents.

This SkyTrain vision is a better buy than Light Rail. It lays the foundation to significantly increasetransit use and curb expensive roadway expansion in the South-of-Fraser, as has been done verysuccessfully in the North-of-Fraser. I had the citys transportation and infrastructure committeereview this vision last month, but I have yet to receive a reply with their comments.

I need your help to not just promote this vision, but to raise important issues in the current Light

Rail proposal

especially those that havent been raised. Every new voice on Council will cou

nt forour communities. You heard the Mayors despite a faulty business case and issues in theproposal, LRT in Surrey has been approved as part of the regional transportation vision. We needto act now, more than ever, to prevent the occurrence of this planning disaster.

Thanks for your attention.

Sincerely,

Daryl Dela CruzCampaign Manager Better Surrey Rapid TransitCampaign website:skytrainforsurrey.orgMore info:LRT RealityOur Vision

http://skytrainforsurrey.org/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/vision/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/vision/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/vision/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/lrt-reality/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/lrt-reality/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/lrt-reality/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/vision/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/vision/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/vision/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/lrt-reality/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/vision/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/

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15thOctober, 2014

Cliff Blair and election teamCandidate for Surrey City CouncilSurrey, BC

Subject: Light Rail and Rapid Transit as an election issue

Dear Cliff,

I would like to congratulate you on the hard work youve performed preparing to run an electioncampaign. The responsibility that you will be given to shape the future of this city, should you beelected, will be enormous.

You may be familiar with me for my work in raising transportation issues in this city, whichincluded the successful advocacy for a Surrey bus stop on the route #555 Port Mann Express. Aswe enter the election period and start to focus on city issues, I am working to raise a majortransportation issue that desperately needs to be discussed now.

You are hopefully aware that the Mayors' Council's transportation vision approved a Light RailTransit (LRT) rapid transit system in Surrey, as has been specified in the city's vision. This is not aproposal that will give a net benefit to Surrey citizens, and it brings with it problems that have notbeen discussed with stakeholders.

It's alarming that a recent City of Surrey survey - mentioned a few times during TV news reportsand Council minutes - reported a 90% support rate for Surrey's LRT proposal from stakeholders.Coming from a city that wants its stakeholders (residents) to support LRT and has probably onlyever told stakeholders things that will make them want to support LRT, I find this to be a tragedy.How do we know that the surveyed were even told the truth and the entire truth about the LightRail proposal? The details of the survey itself - and its effect on the city's policy - have never been

revealed for public viewing.

Ive beenraising the issue of a faulty Light Rail proposalfor the past several years. In fact,TransLink should have completed the work for me when their Surrey Rapid Transit Study found anegative business case for the popular LRT proposal. The persistence of LRT as Surrey's vision hasalarmed me as a long-time Guildford resident, in the path of the proposal.

http://skytrainforsurrey.org/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/2014/07/14/press-release-rapid-transit-vision-report-exposes-faults-of-surrey-lrt-proposal/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/2014/07/14/press-release-rapid-transit-vision-report-exposes-faults-of-surrey-lrt-proposal/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/2014/07/14/press-release-rapid-transit-vision-report-exposes-faults-of-surrey-lrt-proposal/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/2014/07/14/press-release-rapid-transit-vision-report-exposes-faults-of-surrey-lrt-proposal/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/

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When outgoing Mayor Watts declared Light Rail over SkyTrain 3 years ago, she accompanied thisannouncement with a video of the proposal featuring the 104th Ave corridor which hid from usthat the Light Rail wouldnt actually make transit on that corridor faster. It will, in fact, reduce

options for Guildford/104 Ave riders by cutting non-stop express bus services and forcinginbound riders to transfer to a system that wont save them any time.

Absolutely no one has raised these issues, nor has anyone made any mention of the devastatingimpacts that Guildford-area residents will face for several years during the lines construction, asthe closure of 104 Aves two centre lanes will disrupt 96 B-Line services and triple travel times toSurrey City Centre.

Issues like this, especially those specific to the way the city is building LRT, havenot been raised.One major potential issue is that, unlike many LRT systems, the entirety of the Surreys proposed

system will be built in the centre of streets. The lines will pass through some of the citys mostdangerous intersections and theres a serious issue of service reliability and safety that hasntbeen raised. Of the hundreds of accidents each year at these intersections, each one of them standsto become a service disruption on the citys LRT network if the tracks are in any way blocked anissue not faced by B-Lines and rapid buses, which can detour around accidents, or SkyTrain.

In my discussions with city staff, I was given excuses that I still feel were poorly thought about and

hastily thrown at me in an attempt to mislead me into silence about the proposal. While manystudies have pointed to the fact that attracting transit-oriented development has more to do withmarket conditions and government support than type of transit technology (bus or rail), city staffand Council remain mislead into believing that shaping the kind of growth thats wanted in

Surrey is only doable with rail. This is simply not true and to the contrary, there are manysuccessful, multi-modal developments in Metro Vancouver that did not grow within closeproximity of our SkyTrain lines. Rapid buses can be an important part of the Surrey rapid transitvision, especially as they can be more flexible than Light Rail.

The problem with the single-minded, pro-Light Rail mentality that has existed in City Council andstaff for the past 3 years is that shortfalls and their details are skewered or even hidden from

stakeholders. In the promotion of shaping communities, the city has downplayed theconsideration of other benefits and aspects especially travel times and modal shift from car totransit.

The $2.44 billion Light Rail vision eats both significant capital funds, as well as significantoperating funds every year while generating less ridership and fare revenue than visions that

http://skytrainforsurrey.org/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/lrt-reality/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/lrt-reality/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/lrt-reality/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/lrt-reality/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/

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involve a SkyTrain extension. This hurts the entire city, because it starves our city-wide bussystem from receiving the funds it will need to expand in frequency and extent. To put it shortly, ifwe dont stop this Light Rail vision, it might just stop us from receiving any more transitimprovements.

A few months ago, I finished work on what I consider to be the centrepiece of my campaign: arapid transit vision. As a token of my confidence in the success of this vision should it be laid out, Igave it the titleVibrant communities, productive citizens,and what it does is it combines anexpansion of SkyTrain a popular, effective and successful transit choice with investments inenhanced bus rapid transit, to service Surrey in the most responsibly built, effective way. It leavesroom for further transit improvements beyond rapid transit and even helps generate the fundingto do so with the best business case, the best ridership, the best revenue, and the most benefitsfor Surrey residents.

This SkyTrain vision is a better buy than Light Rail. It lays the foundation to significantly increasetransit use and curb expensive roadway expansion in the South-of-Fraser, as has been done verysuccessfully in the North-of-Fraser. I had the citys transportation and infrastructure committeereview this vision last month, but I have yet to receive a reply with their comments.

I need your help to not just promote this vision, but to raise important issues in the current Light

Rail proposal

especially those that havent been raised. Every new voice on Council will count for

our communities. You heard the Mayors despite a faulty business case and issues in theproposal, LRT in Surrey has been approved as part of the regional transportation vision. We needto act now, more than ever, to prevent the occurrence of this planning disaster.

Thanks for your attention.

Sincerely,

Daryl Dela CruzCampaign Manager Better Surrey Rapid TransitCampaign website:skytrainforsurrey.orgMore info:LRT RealityOur Vision

http://skytrainforsurrey.org/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/vision/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/vision/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/vision/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/lrt-reality/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/lrt-reality/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/lrt-reality/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/vision/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/vision/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/vision/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/lrt-reality/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/vision/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/

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15thOctober, 2014

Darlene Bowyer and One Surrey Electors AssociationCandidate for Surrey City CouncilSurrey, BC

Subject: Light Rail and Rapid Transit as an election issue

Dear Darlene,

I would like to congratulate you on the hard work youve performed preparing to run an electioncampaign. The responsibility that you will be given to shape the future of this city, should you beelected, will be enormous.

You may be familiar with me for my work in raising transportation issues in this city, whichincluded the successful advocacy for a Surrey bus stop on the route #555 Port Mann Express. Aswe enter the election period and start to focus on city issues, I am working to raise a majortransportation issue that desperately needs to be discussed now.

You are hopefully aware that the Mayors' Council's transportation vision approved a Light RailTransit (LRT) rapid transit system in Surrey, as has been specified in the city's vision. This is not aproposal that will give a net benefit to Surrey citizens, and it brings with it problems that have notbeen discussed with stakeholders.

It's alarming that a recent City of Surrey survey - mentioned a few times during TV news reportsand Council minutes - reported a 90% support rate for Surrey's LRT proposal from stakeholders.Coming from a city that wants its stakeholders (residents) to support LRT and has probably onlyever told stakeholders things that will make them want to support LRT, I find this to be a tragedy.How do we know that the surveyed were even told the truth and the entire truth about the LightRail proposal? The details of the survey itself - and its effect on the city's policy - have never been

revealed for public viewing.

Ive beenraising the issue of a faulty Light Rail proposalfor the past several years. In fact,TransLink should have completed the work for me when their Surrey Rapid Transit Study found anegative business case for the popular LRT proposal. The persistence of LRT as Surrey's vision hasalarmed me as a long-time Guildford resident, in the path of the proposal.

http://skytrainforsurrey.org/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/2014/07/14/press-release-rapid-transit-vision-report-exposes-faults-of-surrey-lrt-proposal/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/2014/07/14/press-release-rapid-transit-vision-report-exposes-faults-of-surrey-lrt-proposal/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/2014/07/14/press-release-rapid-transit-vision-report-exposes-faults-of-surrey-lrt-proposal/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/2014/07/14/press-release-rapid-transit-vision-report-exposes-faults-of-surrey-lrt-proposal/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/

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When outgoing Mayor Watts declared Light Rail over SkyTrain 3 years ago, she accompanied thisannouncement with a video of the proposal featuring the 104th Ave corridor which hid from usthat the Light Rail wouldnt actually make transit on that corridor faster. It will, in fact, reduce

options for Guildford/104 Ave riders by cutting non-stop express bus services and forcinginbound riders to transfer to a system that wont save them any time.

Absolutely no one has raised these issues, nor has anyone made any mention of the devastatingimpacts that Guildford-area residents will face for several years during the lines construction, asthe closure of 104 Aves two centre lanes will disrupt 96 B-Line services and triple travel times toSurrey City Centre.

Issues like this, especially those specific to the way the city is building LRT, havenot been raised.One major potential issue is that, unlike many LRT systems, the entirety of the Surreys proposed

system will be built in the centre of streets. The lines will pass through some of the citys most

dangerous intersections and theres a serious issue of service reliability and safety that hasntbeen raised. Of the hundreds of accidents each year at these intersections, each one of them standsto become a service disruption on the citys LRT network if the tracks are in any way blocked anissue not faced by B-Lines and rapid buses, which can detour around accidents, or SkyTrain.

In my discussions with city staff, I was given excuses that I still feel were poorly thought about and

hastily thrown at me in an attempt to mislead me into silence about the proposal. While manystudies have pointed to the fact that attracting transit-oriented development has more to do withmarket conditions and government support than type of transit technology (bus or rail), city staffand Council remain mislead into believing that shaping the kind of growth thats wanted in

Surrey is only doable with rail. This is simply not true and to the contrary, there are manysuccessful, multi-modal developments in Metro Vancouver that did not grow within closeproximity of our SkyTrain lines. Rapid buses can be an important part of the Surrey rapid transitvision, especially as they can be more flexible than Light Rail.

The problem with the single-minded, pro-Light Rail mentality that has existed in City Council andstaff for the past 3 years is that shortfalls and their details are skewered or even hidden from

stakeholders. In the promotion of shaping communities, the city has downplayed theconsideration of other benefits and aspects especially travel times and modal shift from car totransit.

The $2.44 billion Light Rail vision eats both significant capital funds, as well as significantoperating funds every year while generating less ridership and fare revenue than visions that

http://skytrainforsurrey.org/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/lrt-reality/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/lrt-reality/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/lrt-reality/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/lrt-reality/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/

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involve a SkyTrain extension. This hurts the entire city, because it starves our city-wide bussystem from receiving the funds it will need to expand in frequency and extent. To put it shortly, ifwe dont stop this Light Rail vision, it might just stop us from receiving any more transitimprovements.

A few months ago, I finished work on what I consider to be the centrepiece of my campaign: arapid transit vision. As a token of my confidence in the success of this vision should it be laid out, Igave it the titleVibrant communities, productive citizens,and what it does is it combines anexpansion of SkyTrain a popular, effective and successful transit choice with investments inenhanced bus rapid transit, to service Surrey in the most responsibly built, effective way. It leavesroom for further transit improvements beyond rapid transit and even helps generate the fundingto do so with the best business case, the best ridership, the best revenue, and the most benefitsfor Surrey residents.

This SkyTrain vision is a better buy than Light Rail. It lays the foundation to significantly increasetransit use and curb expensive roadway expansion in the South-of-Fraser, as has been done verysuccessfully in the North-of-Fraser. I had the citys transportation and infrastructure committeereview this vision last month, but I have yet to receive a reply with their comments.

I need your help to not just promote this vision, but to raise important issues in the current Light

Rail proposal

especially those that havent been raised. Every new voice on Council will count for

our communities. You heard the Mayors despite a faulty business case and issues in theproposal, LRT in Surrey has been approved as part of the regional transportation vision. We needto act now, more than ever, to prevent the occurrence of this planning disaster.

Thanks for your attention.

Sincerely,

Daryl Dela CruzCampaign Manager Better Surrey Rapid TransitCampaign website:skytrainforsurrey.orgMore info:LRT RealityOur Vision

http://skytrainforsurrey.org/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/vision/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/vision/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/vision/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/lrt-reality/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/lrt-reality/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/lrt-reality/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/vision/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/vision/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/vision/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/lrt-reality/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/vision/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/

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15thOctober, 2014

Dave Woods and Surrey FirstCandidate for Surrey City CouncilSurrey, BC

Subject: Light Rail and Rapid Transit as an election issue

Dear Dave,

I would like to congratulate you on the hard work youve performed preparing to run an electioncampaign. The responsibility that you will be given to shape the future of this city, should you beelected, will be enormous.

You may be familiar with me for my work in raising transportation issues in this city, whichincluded the successful advocacy for a Surrey bus stop on the route #555 Port Mann Express. Aswe enter the election period and start to focus on city issues, I am working to raise a majortransportation issue that desperately needs to be discussed now.

You are hopefully aware that the Mayors' Council's transportation vision approved a Light RailTransit (LRT) rapid transit system in Surrey, as has been specified in the city's vision. This is not aproposal that will give a net benefit to Surrey citizens, and it brings with it problems that have notbeen discussed with stakeholders.

It's alarming that a recent City of Surrey survey - mentioned a few times during TV news reportsand Council minutes - reported a 90% support rate for Surrey's LRT proposal from stakeholders.Coming from a city that wants its stakeholders (residents) to support LRT and has probably onlyever told stakeholders things that will make them want to support LRT, I find this to be a tragedy.How do we know that the surveyed were even told the truth and the entire truth about the LightRail proposal? The details of the survey itself - and its effect on the city's policy - have never been

revealed for public viewing.

Ive beenraising the issue of a faulty Light Rail proposalfor the past several years. In fact,TransLink should have completed the work for me when their Surrey Rapid Transit Study found anegative business case for the popular LRT proposal. The persistence of LRT as Surrey's vision hasalarmed me as a long-time Guildford resident, in the path of the proposal.

http://skytrainforsurrey.org/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/2014/07/14/press-release-rapid-transit-vision-report-exposes-faults-of-surrey-lrt-proposal/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/2014/07/14/press-release-rapid-transit-vision-report-exposes-faults-of-surrey-lrt-proposal/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/2014/07/14/press-release-rapid-transit-vision-report-exposes-faults-of-surrey-lrt-proposal/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/2014/07/14/press-release-rapid-transit-vision-report-exposes-faults-of-surrey-lrt-proposal/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/

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When outgoing Mayor Watts declared Light Rail over SkyTrain 3 years ago, she accompanied thisannouncement with a video of the proposal featuring the 104th Ave corridor which hid from usthat the Light Rail wouldnt actually make transit on that corridor faster. It will, in fact, reduceoptions for Guildford/104 Ave riders by cutting non-stop express bus services and forcinginbound riders to transfer to a system that wont save them any time.

Absolutely no one has raised these issues, nor has anyone made any mention of the devastatingimpacts that Guildford-area residents will face for several years during the lines construction, asthe closure of 104 Aves two centre lanes will disrupt 96 B-Line services and triple travel times toSurrey City Centre.

Issues like this, especially those specific to the way the city is building LRT, havenot been raised.One major potential issue is that, unlike many LRT systems, the entirety of the Surreys proposedsystem will be built in the centre of streets. The lines will pass through some of the citys most

dangerous intersections and theres a serious issue of service reliability and safety that hasntbeen raised. Of the hundreds of accidents each year at these intersections, each one of them standsto become a service disruption on the citys LRT network if the tracks are in any way blocked anissue not faced by B-Lines and rapid buses, which can detour around accidents, or SkyTrain.

In my discussions with city staff, I was given excuses that I still feel were poorly thought about and

hastily thrown at me in an attempt to mislead me into silence about the proposal. While manystudies have pointed to the fact that attracting transit-oriented development has more to do withmarket conditions and government support than type of transit technology (bus or rail), city staffand Council remain mislead into believing that shaping the kind of growth thats wanted inSurrey is only doable with rail. This is simply not true and to the contrary, there are manysuccessful, multi-modal developments in Metro Vancouver that did not grow within closeproximity of our SkyTrain lines. Rapid buses can be an important part of the Surrey rapid transitvision, especially as they can be more flexible than Light Rail.

The problem with the single-minded, pro-Light Rail mentality that has existed in City Council andstaff for the past 3 years is that shortfalls and their details are skewered or even hidden from

stakeholders. In the promotion of shaping communities, the city has downplayed theconsideration of other benefits and aspects especially travel times and modal shift from car totransit.

The $2.44 billion Light Rail vision eats both significant capital funds, as well as significantoperating funds every year while generating less ridership and fare revenue than visions that

http://skytrainforsurrey.org/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/lrt-reality/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/lrt-reality/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/lrt-reality/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/lrt-reality/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/

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involve a SkyTrain extension. This hurts the entire city, because it starves our city-wide bussystem from receiving the funds it will need to expand in frequency and extent. To put it shortly, ifwe dont stop this Light Rail vision, it might just stop us from receiving any more transit

improvements.

A few months ago, I finished work on what I consider to be the centrepiece of my campaign: arapid transit vision. As a token of my confidence in the success of this vision should it be laid out, Igave it the titleVibrant communities, productive citizens,and what it does is it combines anexpansion of SkyTrain a popular, effective and successful transit choice with investments inenhanced bus rapid transit, to service Surrey in the most responsibly built, effective way. It leavesroom for further transit improvements beyond rapid transit and even helps generate the fundingto do so with the best business case, the best ridership, the best revenue, and the most benefitsfor Surrey residents.

This SkyTrain vision is a better buy than Light Rail. It lays the foundation to significantly increasetransit use and curb expensive roadway expansion in the South-of-Fraser, as has been done verysuccessfully in the North-of-Fraser. I had the citys transportation and infrastructure committeereview this vision last month, but I have yet to receive a reply with their comments.

I need your help to not just promote this vision, but to raise important issues in the current Light

Rail proposal

especially those that havent been raised. Every new voice on Council will count for

our communities. You heard the Mayors despite a faulty business case and issues in theproposal, LRT in Surrey has been approved as part of the regional transportation vision. We needto act now, more than ever, to prevent the occurrence of this planning disaster.

Thanks for your attention.

Sincerely,

Daryl Dela CruzCampaign Manager Better Surrey Rapid TransitCampaign website:skytrainforsurrey.orgMore info:LRT RealityOur Vision

http://skytrainforsurrey.org/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/vision/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/vision/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/vision/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/lrt-reality/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/lrt-reality/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/lrt-reality/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/vision/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/vision/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/vision/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/lrt-reality/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/vision/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/

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15thOctober, 2014

Doug McCallum and the Safe Surrey CoalitionCandidate for Mayor of City of SurreySurrey, BC

Subject: Light Rail and Rapid Transit as an election issue

Dear Doug,

I would like to congratulate you on the hard work youve performed preparing to run a Mayoralcampaign. The responsibility that you will be given to shape the future of this city, should you beelected, will be enormous.

You may be familiar with me for my work in raising transportation issues in this city, whichincluded the successful advocacy for a Surrey bus stop on the route #555 Port Mann Express. Aswe enter the election period and start to focus on city issues, I am working to raise a majortransportation issue that desperately needs to be discussed now.

You are hopefully aware that the Mayors' Council's transportation vision approved a Light RailTransit (LRT) rapid transit system in Surrey, as has been specified in the city's vision. This is not aproposal that will give a net benefit to Surrey citizens, and it brings with it problems that have notbeen discussed with stakeholders.

It's alarming that a recent City of Surrey survey - mentioned a few times during TV news reportsand Council minutes - reported a 90% support rate for Surrey's LRT proposal from stakeholders.Coming from a city that wants its stakeholders (residents) to support LRT and has probably onlyever told stakeholders things that will make them want to support LRT, I find this to be a tragedy.How do we know that the surveyed were even told the truth and the entire truth about the LightRail proposal? The details of the survey itself - and its effect on the city's policy - have never been

revealed for public viewing.

Ive beenraising the issue of a faulty Light Rail proposalfor the past several years. In fact,TransLink should have completed the work for me when their Surrey Rapid Transit Study found anegative business case for the popular LRT proposal. The persistence of LRT as Surrey's vision hasalarmed me as a long-time Guildford resident, in the path of the proposal.

http://skytrainforsurrey.org/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/2014/07/14/press-release-rapid-transit-vision-report-exposes-faults-of-surrey-lrt-proposal/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/2014/07/14/press-release-rapid-transit-vision-report-exposes-faults-of-surrey-lrt-proposal/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/2014/07/14/press-release-rapid-transit-vision-report-exposes-faults-of-surrey-lrt-proposal/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/2014/07/14/press-release-rapid-transit-vision-report-exposes-faults-of-surrey-lrt-proposal/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/

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When outgoing Mayor Watts declared Light Rail over SkyTrain 3 years ago, she accompanied thisannouncement with a video of the proposal featuring the 104th Ave corridor which hid from usthat the Light Rail wouldnt actually make transit on that corridor faster. It will, in fact, reduceoptions for Guildford/104 Ave riders by cutting non-stop express bus services and forcinginbound riders to transfer to a system that wont save them any time.

Absolutely no one has raised these issues, nor has anyone made any mention of the devastatingimpacts that Guildford-area residents will face for several years during the lines construction, asthe closure of 104 Aves two centre lanes will disrupt 96 B-Line services and triple travel times toSurrey City Centre.

Issues like this, especially those specific to the way the city is building LRT, havenot been raised.One major potential issue is that, unlike many LRT systems, the entirety of the Surreys proposedsystem will be built in the centre of streets. The lines will pass through some of the citys most

dangerous intersections and theres a serious issue of service reliability and safety that hasntbeen raised. Of the hundreds of accidents each year at these intersections, each one of them standsto become a service disruption on the citys LRT network if the tracks are in any way blocked anissue not faced by B-Lines and rapid buses, which can detour around accidents, or SkyTrain.

In my discussions with city staff, I was given excuses that I still feel were poorly thought about and

hastily thrown at me in an attempt to mislead me into silence about the proposal. While manystudies have pointed to the fact that attracting transit-oriented development has more to do withmarket conditions and government support than type of transit technology (bus or rail), city staffand Council remain mislead into believing that shaping the kind of growth thats wanted in

Surrey is only doable with rail. This is simply not true and to the contrary, there are manysuccessful, multi-modal developments in Metro Vancouver that did not grow within closeproximity of our SkyTrain lines. Rapid buses can be an important part of the Surrey rapid transitvision, especially as they can be more flexible than Light Rail.

The problem with the single-minded, pro-Light Rail mentality that has existed in City Council andstaff for the past 3 years is that shortfalls and their details are skewered or even hidden from

stakeholders. In the promotion of shaping communities, the city has downplayed theconsideration of other benefits and aspects especially travel times and modal shift from car totransit.

The $2.44 billion Light Rail vision eats both significant capital funds, as well as significantoperating funds every year while generating less ridership and fare revenue than visions that

http://skytrainforsurrey.org/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/lrt-reality/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/lrt-reality/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/lrt-reality/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/lrt-reality/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/

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involve a SkyTrain extension. This hurts the entire city, because it starves our city-wide bussystem from receiving the funds it will need to expand in frequency and extent. To put it shortly, ifwe dont stop this Light Rail vision, it might just stop us from receiving any more transit

improvements.

A few months ago, I finished work on what I consider to be the centrepiece of my campaign: arapid transit vision. As a token of my confidence in the success of this vision should it be laid out, Igave it the titleVibrant communities, productive citizens,and what it does is it combines anexpansion of SkyTrain a popular, effective and successful transit choice with investments inenhanced bus rapid transit, to service Surrey in the most responsibly built, effective way. It leavesroom for further transit improvements beyond rapid transit and even helps generate the fundingto do so with the best business case, the best ridership, the best revenue, and the most benefitsfor Surrey residents.

This SkyTrain vision is a better buy than Light Rail. It lays the foundation to significantly increasetransit use and curb expensive roadway expansion in the South-of-Fraser, as has been done verysuccessfully in the North-of-Fraser. I had the citys transportation and infrastructure committeereview this vision last month, but I have yet to receive a reply with their comments.

I need your help to not just promote this vision, but to raise important issues in the current Light

Rail proposal

especially those that havent

been raised. Every new voice on Council will count forour communities. You heard the Mayors despite a faulty business case and issues in theproposal, LRT in Surrey has been approved as part of the regional transportation vision. We needto act now, more than ever, to prevent the occurrence of this planning disaster.

Thanks for your attention.

Sincerely,

Daryl Dela CruzCampaign Manager Better Surrey Rapid TransitCampaign website:skytrainforsurrey.orgMore info:LRT RealityOur Vision

http://skytrainforsurrey.org/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/vision/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/vision/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/vision/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/lrt-reality/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/lrt-reality/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/lrt-reality/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/vision/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/vision/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/vision/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/lrt-reality/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/vision/http://skytrainforsurrey.org/

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15thOctober, 2014

Fiona Dionne and election teamCandidate for Surrey City CouncilSurrey, BC

Subject: Light Rail and Rapid Transit as an election issue

Dear Fiona,

I would like to congratulate you on the hard work youve performed preparing to run an electioncampaign. The responsibility that yo